


Holiday Cookies

by FishingforCrows



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Fanart, this is very silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:00:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28032795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FishingforCrows/pseuds/FishingforCrows
Summary: Ed wants to make sure his little brother has a good holiday, so he asks Lieutenant Hawkeye for a favor. She goes above and beyond to make sure the Elric boys have the celebration they deserve.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 20





	Holiday Cookies

**Author's Note:**

> This is Christmas Present for my best dearest friend SUNNY!!! So since I know you're going to read this >:3 MERRY CHRISTMAS BRO!!!
> 
> (Also, read to the end to see some fanart I made!)

“Lieutenant Hawkeye?”

Riza turned around in her chair to see the military’s newest state alchemist standing before her. Edward Elric, was about a foot away from her desk with an odd expression on his face. He looked angry, or maybe nervous. Either way, his hands were shoved in his pockets and he wouldn’t look her in the eye. He was a hard to read kid, but that made sense after everything he had been through.

“Um…Yeah, Fullmetal?” She asked, trying not to sound too surprised. It had only been a few months since he got his certification and, in that time, he had mostly kept to himself. She couldn’t blame him, being surrounded by adults all the time must be intimidating even for a child prodigy. So, it was a bit of a shock to have him come to her for a chat. “Can I help you?” She gave him a warm smile, hoping to make him a little more comfortable.

“Can Al and I… use your kitchen?”

“My kitchen…?”

“Yeah, Al is really disappointed we won’t be able to make cookies to celebrate the solstice this year. I heard you say you live close by and… there isn’t a kitchen we can use in the dorms…”

She stared at him for a moment, speechless. Out of all the things she could have anticipated him to ask, this was not one of them. Her silence seemed to push him to explain more.

“Mom always used to bake them when we were little. So that we could leave them out for Father Winter on the night of the solstice. Al always got so excited to leave them out, he would try and stay up all night to see if he ate them, but he never could. Then after mom-” There was a catch in his voice and his head suddenly tipped forward so she couldn’t see his face. He cleared his throat, only pausing for a moment, like he would lose steam if he didn’t keep going. “Granny used to help us make them. As a way to cheer us up. Even when I was recovering,” He took a hand out of his pocket and absently gripped the sleeve of his jacket that covered his automail arm. “It’s really important to him, to have something to put out for solstice. I said we could just buy some cookies but… he seemed really sad about it.” He finally looked up, with a crumpled expression and slightly red cheeks. Embarrassed to have shared so much, but obviously pushing through for sake of doing something nice for his brother.

In that moment, Riza was reminded of just how young the Elric brothers were. It was impossible to forget that Ed was a kid when you looked at him. But when he was at work; saluting his commanding officers, researching in the library, filling out grant requests and progress reports, it was easy to forget that he was _twelve_. He wasn’t some eighteen year old new recruit with a baby face, he was still young enough to believe in Father Winter.

“What kind of cookies are you going to bake?”

***

“Colonel.” Riza gave a salute as she approached Roy’s desk. It was a formality that was not needed between them, considering their history, but she did it anyway. Both out of respect for him, and for the office he occupied.

“Lieutenant.” He nodded in return, and she dropped her hand. Before he could say anything else, she held out an envelope, inches from his face. He blinked at it curiously before taking it. “What’s this? A telegram from central?”

“An invitation, sir. To a solstice party at my place, this Friday.”

“A holiday party?” Roy’s eyebrows slowly climbed up his forehead and an amused grin appeared on his face. “Seems a little unprofessional, Hawkeye. Very unlike you.” He teased as he opened up the envelope and read the neatly penned card that told him when he should arrive at the lieutenant’s apartment.

“The Elric brothers are coming over to bake cookies.”

“… What?” Roy was just as taken aback by this information as she was when Ed first asked.

“Ed asked me if he could use my kitchen so him and his brother could make cookies for Father Winter. I told them they could. I thought inviting a few more friendly faces might make things more festive. And, I thought, getting some more people involved, we might be able to chip in to buy the boys some presents.” She explained, simply, giving a slight shrug of her shoulders. Her ever calm exterior belied just how hopeful she was that he would get on board with her plan. “They’re kids, Roy. And they’ve had a rough life. To say the least. I was hoping to brighten up their holiday.”

Roy’s expression shifted. His smug, teasing smile was gone now. Replaced by something much softer, and more thoughtful. He looked back and forth from the invitation, to her, processing what he had just been told.

“I’ll see you there.” His grin had returned full force, and she reflected it right back.

***

“Ok so then you add the eggs.”

“No, you have to add the molasses in next.”

“That’s not how my mom used to do it-”

“I’m looking at the recipe, you’re going to argue with the recipe?”

“Will you two SHUT UP! I can’t add anything with you blocking the bowl!” Ed exploded, shoving himself in between Falman and Breda who had boxed him out from the counter. Riza smiled and chuckled to herself. Him blowing up and yelling see felt like good sign, a definite improvement from the stony silence and uncertain scowl he usually wore.

“AL! Will you stop letting butter get on the floor! You’re supposed to be stirring it until it gets creamy not feeding it to the dog!”

“But… look how happy he is, brother. He deserves a treat for solstice too!”

“Black Hayate! Down!” Riza called from the couch, but made no effort to get up and actually contain the pup who had his paws on Alphonse’s leg, begging for more butter.

“When will those cookies be done? I could use a snack!” Havoc asked, he had his arm around his date, a nice girl from town named Sophia. Riza had insisted on no dates but he begged her, waxing poetic about how this really was the one girl for him this time, and it wouldn’t be fair if she didn’t get to come. She didn’t buy it for a second, knowing that their relationship probably wouldn’t make it to spring, but she gave in anyway. After all, it was the holidays, might as well be generous.

“They’re not for you!” Ed yelled, brandishing a wooden spoon at Havoc threateningly. “Hawkeye, did you have to invite so many people?” He lamented in frustration, finding himself once again blocked from the counter when he tried to turn around. “Al and I just wanted to use the kitchen, you didn’t have to turn it into a whole party.” He grumbled. She could tell he was more than a little embarrassed that more of his coworkers were here to witness his little holiday craft. She could also tell that, in spite of his protests, he was having a good time. A better time than he would have if no one else had come.

“Oh, come on Fullmetal, the holidays are a time to be with friends. Plus, I don’t know how to bake cookies, I thought you might need some help.” She replied with a little grin. He grumbled some more things at her that were unintelligible as her turned around to get back to baking. “Can I refill anyone’s drinks?” She asked, standing up and heading towards the kitchen, where she did finally shoo Black Hayate away from Al.

“I’m fine thanks!” Fuery chirped, smiling as the dog jumped into his lap for pets after being shunned from the kitchen.

“I’ll take another!” Havoc said, raising his empty beer bottle.

“Me too, thank you.” His date chimed in.

As she was bringing back the refills Roy reentered the room, having just gotten off the phone in the other room.

“How’s the Lieutenant Colonel?” Riza asked, the two of them plopping down next to each other on the couch.

“He’s devastated he couldn’t come to the party and tell us every single detail of his wife’s pregnancy.” Roy joked, a warm smile on his face. “But he would have had to have gotten on the train hours ago since the next train from central should be pulling in soon.” He added pointedly, exchanging a knowing look with Riza. She gave a quick, blink-and-you-miss-it, nod in return. Normally, she had an excellent poker face, but she just couldn’t fight back the pleased look she had been wearing all day. Everything was falling in to place. 

About a half hour passed and despite all the arguing, the cookies mad it into the oven, and were now cooling on the counter. The whole apartment smelled like molasses and spices. Everyone was sitting around the living room, in good spirits. Even Ed had cheered up and was now helping Al recall the details of the first time they had baked cookies with their mom. Apparently, Al had confused the flour for powdered sugar and tried to eat a spoonful, only to end up spitting it all over the place. It got a laugh from everyone, and both the boys faces seemed to light up in response.

Riza kept glancing at the clock on the wall. She was subtle enough that no one noticed though. The trains were running on time according to Hughes. So, their special guest should be arriving any minute. 

As if on cue, there was knock on the door followed by a hearty laugh from the hallway. All eyes shot that direction immediately.

“Now, who could that be?” Roy asked aloud, feigning surprise. He was laying it on a little thick. “Alphonse, why don’t you get the door?”

“Why him? It’s not our house.” Ed complained.

“I don’t mind!” Al responded cheerfully, always one to be polite. He clambered to his feet and across the room to open the door. There was a clatter of metal and a gasp as the younger Elric jumped back in shock.

“What? Who is-” Ed had sprung to his feet in alarm at his brother’s reaction, only to freeze when he saw who it was. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung open with disbelief. Riza had never had so much trouble holding back a laugh in her life.

“FATHER WINTER?” Both the boys cried out nearly in unison.

Standing in the doorway was Major Alex Louis Armstrong. All two meters of him was clad in red fabric and white fur, including a knit stocking cap to cover his bald head. He had put on a very convincing white beard to disguise his face and stuffed the front of his jacket to make him look jollier; though on top of his already massive bulk it only managed to make him more imposing.

“HO, HO! THAT’S RIGHT! YULETIDE GREETINGS ELRIC BROTHERS!” He boomed, stepping through the doorway.

“Bu- wh- What are you doing here?” Alphonse asked, audibly overjoyed. His armor would make his expressions hard to see, but the giddiness in his voice alone was enough to melt anyone’s heart.

“I got a call from central command!”

“Central command can _call_ Father Winter?” Alphonse gasped in utter amazement.

“They can! And they informed me that a special delivery was in order for all the hard work you two do.” He heaved a sack from over his shoulder and held it open for him to look inside.

“Brother! Look! He brought us presents!” Al all but squealed. Ed still looked like he was in shock. He walked forward like in a daze, peering into the bag that Al was already reaching in to.

“Carbon filament? A new alchemical journal! This is exactly what I wanted! And there’s a matching one for you too Al!” He seemed to snap out of his trance as excitement finally took over when he saw its contents.

“Told you he’d like that better than toys.” Riza muttered under her breathe, nudging Roy with the tip of his elbow.

“And look!” Al pulled out a comically large teddy bear from the sack, squeezing it around the neck. “It’s the perfect size for me!”

“You’re right!” Ed laughed. Then looked up at Armstrong. Riza hadn’t seen him smile so wide in the whole time she had known him. “Thank you so much! We, uh, made you cookies! If you want to have some?” He pointed into the kitchen.

Armstrong smiled back at him and reached down to ruffle his hair. This made Ed crinkle his nose, generally he might have gone off on a rant about not treating him like a little kid, but that rule didn’t seem to apply to mythical holiday figures. “I would love to, my boy!”

After his arrival the atmosphere at the party felt ten times warmer. The Elric brothers really seemed to get into the spirit of things. A rather tipsy havoc even convinced them to sing a few carols. Everyone ate cookies, talked, celebrated, and just enjoyed each other’s company. Eventually, as the evening wore on, people started to trickle out and go home. Ed seemed hardly able to keep his eyes open as Al gathered up their things. He shuffled over to Riza, a sleepy but contented look on his face. “Thanks for letting us come over, Hawkeye.” He beamed at her. “This has been the best holiday party ever.”

Knowing that she had made a kid whose life was filled with so much stress and so much sadness, smile that brightly, it was the best present she could have asked for.

“Happy Solstice Ed.”

[ ](https://imgur.com/OeHpq2t)

Image Description: Alex Louis Armstrong, an extremely muscular white man with blue eyes, is shirtless and wearing red pants with a black belt, black boots, and a Santa hat. He is flexing with one arm and the other hand is holding a dark red sack that is slung over his shoulder. The background is green with white trim around the edges in the style of a Fullmetal Alchemist title card. There is white text above his head that reads Yuletide Greetings.

**Author's Note:**

> Side note:
> 
> Do I know that Arakawa said that there's no Christmas in FMA? Yes. 
> 
> Do I care?
> 
> ... A little. 
> 
> Which is why they are celebrating "solstice" and calling the veryobviouslysantaclaus character "father winter"
> 
> Look if she can claim that "Madame Christmas" is really just a portmanteau of "Christine Mustang" despite BEING SPELLED WITH AN A, then I can do this. 
> 
> Also! This is my first ever Fullmetal Alchemist fic! I plan to write more, but I'm still getting used to the characterizations! So constructive comments or tips are greatly appreciated!


End file.
